Coronavirus is 'the great equaliser,' Madonna tells fans from her bathtub

By CNN| 3 months ago

(CNN) — From a milky bath sprinkled with rose petals, Madonna has told her fans that the novel coronavirus is "the great equaliser."

In the clip (watch it above) posted to her Instagram and Twitter accounts Monday, the singer shared her sombre thoughts on the global pandemic, which has killed more than 14,700 people worldwide at the time of writing, saying it doesn't discriminate.

"That's the thing about COVID-19," she says, to a background of tinkly piano music. "It doesn't care about how rich you are, how famous you are, how funny you are, how smart you are, where you live, how old you are, what amazing stories you can tell."

Madonna speaks to fans from her bathtub about coronavirus. (Instagram)

The 61-year-old superstar adds: "It's the great equaliser and what's terrible about it is what's great about it."

According to figures from Johns Hopkins University as of March 24, at least 341,000 people have contracted the COVID-19 globally. Countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy continue to tighten quarantine measures in a bid to curb the spread of the virus.

But for many of her fans, Madonna's bathtub sermon did little to ease their anxiety. On Instagram, her comments section was flooded with negative messages, with one person writing: "Sorry my queen, love u so much, but we're not equal. We can die from the same diseases, but the poor will suffer the most. Do not romanticise nothing of this tragedy."

Another person pointed out that people were making do with the "bare essentials" whilst the mother-of-six was "posting petalled nipples."

A third said: "If the ship is going down, do you really think we're going down together while you're in your bathtub having people working for you to be there? I love you, my queen. But things outside your mansion are very different from what you think. Stay safe and a be a little more empathic to the less privileged ones."

CNN has reached out to Madonna's representatives for comment.

Coronavirus: What you need to know

What is the difference between COVID-19 and the flu?

The symptoms of COVID-19 and the flu are very similar, as they both can cause fever and respiratory issues.

Both infections are also transmitted the same way, via coughing or sneezing, or by contact with hands, surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus.

The speed of transmission and the severity of the infection are the key differences between COVID-19 and the flu.

The time from infection to the appearance of symptoms is typically shorter with the flu. However, there are higher proportions of severe and critical COVID-19 infections.

How can I protect myself and my family?

The World Health Organisation and NSW Health both recommend basic hygiene practices as the best way to protect yourself from coronavirus.

Good hygiene includes:

Clean your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser;

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or your elbow;